


Guardian Angel

by demishock



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Friendship, Gen, everything is ignoct in my head but there's nothing overt here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-10-13 13:58:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10515156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demishock/pseuds/demishock
Summary: Prompto questions his new friend Noct about that guy he's always with.





	1. Chapter 1

Prompto knows that Noct likes to keep his 'royal life' separate from his 'school life,' but there's something that's been bugging him since before they were even officially friends, so one afternoon while they're holed up studying in the library, he decides to go for it and asks, "So who's that guy you're always with?"  
   
"Well, his name is Prompto…" Noct begins, not bothering to look up from the notes he's taking.  
   
Prompto nudges Noct's chair under the table with his foot.  
   
"Very funny. I mean the other guy. Brown hair. Glasses. Drops you off at school in that sweet-looking car when the weather's gross."  
   
"Why, you want him to pick you up, too?"  
   
The redirect throws Prompto for a loop.  
   
"Huh?"  
   
"I mean, you're kind of in the other direction, but he'd do it if I asked. Probably."  
   
Prompto shakes his head, waving his hands in front of himself for good measure.  
   
"That's not why I'm asking!" When Noct doesn't respond, he continues, "It's just that I've seen him around ever since we were kids…"  
   
Noct finally glances up at him, his expression unreadable. He gives Prompto a one-shouldered shrug before bowing his head over his notes again.  
   
"S'just Ignis," he says, as though that explains everything.  
   
It doesn't.  
   
Prompto tries again.  
   
"So what's he like an attendant, or a butler, or your chauffeur, or something?"  
   
"Yeah."  
   
Prompto scratches behind his ear, perplexed.  
   
"Uh…"  
   
"…He cooks, too," Noct offers.  
   
"Wait, really? Is he the one who makes all those amazing lunchboxes you bring in?"  
   
"Yup."  
   
Prompto gives a low whistle of appreciation, earning him a dirty look from their classmates at the next table. He hunches forward toward Noct so he can continue his interrogation more softly.  
   
"Is he our age?"  
   
"Couple years older."  
   
"Where's he go to school?"  
   
That gets a bit more of a reaction, as Noct snorts out a laugh.  
   
"He doesn't." He finally seems to have noticed that Prompto's not letting this go, and he goes on, "Had a bunch of private tutors at the Citadel and finished his schooling early. Now he's in formal training to join the Crownsguard. Why the sudden interest?"  
   
Now it's Prompto's turn to shrug.  
   
"Like I said, it just seems like he's always kind of been hanging around."  
   
"I guess…"  
   
This is weird, Prompto decides. Sure, Noct isn't the most talkative person he's ever met, but this is an advanced level of topic-avoidance. Noct doesn't seem mad, or annoyed, but he's certainly not volunteering much in the way of details. Prompto knows that, as royalty, Noct has a lot of servants in his orbit. He also knows that Noct isn't particularly fond of that aspect of his life. This 'Ignis' guy is the only person from the Citadel that Prompto's seen in Noct's presence with any kind of consistency, and he's always wondered if it's because Noct _wants_ him there, or if he just holds some special position in the royal household and is there because he has to be. Noct's acting like he doesn't find the guy all that interesting, but there's something in his posture that makes Prompto feel like there's got to be more to it than that.  
   
"So you're not friends?" he asks, trying to get to the heart of the matter.  
   
Noct blinks. Stops writing. Puts his pencil down. And then he looks at Prompto with an intensity that Prompto isn't used to seeing out of his moody best friend. Noct opens his mouth like he's going to answer the question, then snaps it shut, like he's thought better of whatever it was he was about to say.  
   
Prompto feels like he's gotten whiplash.  
   
Noct curls himself over his schoolwork again and retrieves his pencil. Taps it against his notebook a couple times.  
   
"…He takes care of me," he says at last, very softly, and Prompto thinks maybe he's been a little too nosy this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I uh... I wrote a thing. I hope people enjoyed the thing.
> 
> If you're curious about what I was thinking about when I wrote this, please check out my tumblr (where I am also demishock); I'll have a write-up of my thought process and I'll tag it under the fic title.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Noct totally wasn't kidding about the car thing.

Prompto wakes up to the pitter patter of rain and immediately groans. He's always been pretty ambivalent about mornings, but rain? No thanks.

He drags his feet a bit through his daily routine, knowing that he's not going to be meeting up with Noct this morning. Noct always gets a ride to school when it's gross out like this. Once he's dressed, fed, and has gelled his hair into submission, he grabs his school bag and umbrella, steps outside, and nearly drops them both. Parked at the roadside in front of his house is a familiar black car.

He gapes at it for a few moments, long enough for the driver's side door to open and an equally familiar young man to exit the vehicle. He blinks slowly as Ignis puts up an umbrella, walks around to the passenger side, and opens the back door.

There's no one waiting on the other side.

"Morning!" Ignis calls out over the din of the rain. "Noct sent me to fetch you. We'd best be on our way."

"Uh…" Prompto says intelligently. He approaches slowly, not entirely convinced that he's not dreaming. He and Ignis have never spoken. Prompto only just learned his name a few days ago. Now he's here, sans Noct, picking him up for school.

Prompto stops a few paces shy of the car, and Ignis follows his gaze to the empty backseat.

"Noct won't be joining us, I'm afraid. He's caught a rather nasty cold."

"Oh."

They stand there under their respective umbrellas for a few beats. Ignis's expression is completely unreadable. Prompto feels like an imbecile. He resists the urge to check his phone for a message from Noct declaring that this is some sort of prank.

Ignis regards him for a moment, then seems to register Prompto's discomfort. He clears his throat.

"How presumptuous of me. I've shown up to your residence unannounced and simply assumed…" He adjusts his glasses. Starts over. "My name is Ignis Scientia. I function as Prince Noctis's chamberlain."

"Prompto Argentum," Prompto says automatically. Then, unable to help himself, he adds, "I function as Prince Noctis's school friend."

Ignis cracks a smile.

Prompto's so relieved his legs almost give out from under him. He motions toward the car while he recovers.

"Are you sure about this?" he asks, not sure about it himself. "You didn't have to go through the trouble…"

"No trouble at all," Ignis dismisses his concerns, waving him forward, and Prompto finally relents on the grounds that he's going to be late for school if he doesn't leave now.

Prompto has never been inside a car this fancy, all soft leather seats and shiny chrome and dark wood paneling. He's almost afraid to let his sodden shoes touch the pristine floor mats, never mind his soaking wet umbrella. While he fastens his seatbelt and tries to make himself as small as possible, Ignis circles back around to the driver's seat. He buckles up as well, then puts the blinker on, despite the street being entirely devoid of life, and pulls smoothly away from the curb.

So, this is a thing that's happening.

"Thanks a lot," Prompto says, finally remembering his manners. "You really didn't have to come all the way out here. I know it's totally out of the way."

"Think nothing of it," Ignis replies, not taking his eyes off the narrow road.

Prompto fidgets.

"'Nasty cold,' huh?" he asks after a moment, worried about his friend.

"Indeed. There was a gala over the weekend - Accordian dignitaries and the like. I imagine he probably picked up a parting gift from someone in attendance."

"Bummer."

"Quite."

"He'll be okay, though?"

"Oh, certainly. Noct has never been difficult about following the doctor's orders when it comes to bed rest."

Prompto grins. He can believe that, no problem.

They fall into silence again, and Prompto bounces his leg, gazing out the window while he tries to think of something else to say. Usually he and Noct talk about arcade games and stuff, but he doesn't know if Ignis is into that kind of thing. He knows from his conversation with Noct that Ignis isn't in school anymore, so that's out. It feels weird to just sit in silence, though, especially since he's in the backseat like Ignis is some sort of chauffeur. Grasping at the only other thing he knows about the guy, he tries again.

"So what's a chamberlain do, exactly?"

Ignis lets out an amused little huff.

"Oh, this and that. I mostly oversee Noct's general affairs."

"Like what?"

Prompto catches Ignis looking at him in the rearview mirror and slumps in his seat.

"Never mind. Sorry. Being a pest."

"Not at all," Ignis says, sounding surprised. He drums his fingers against the steering wheel a few times in thought. "Let's see… I organize his schedule, attend meetings in his stead when he's otherwise occupied, vet any visitors he receives, do a bit of cooking and cleaning…"

"Wow," Prompto says softly, impressed. Then, realizing something, he lets out a startled yelp. "Wait, so did you have to vet me before Noct could be friends with me?"

"Naturally," Ignis says.

Prompto stares at him in silence for a moment, dumbfounded.

"You passed muster," Ignis points out, apparently trying to console him.

"That's good," Prompto says. "Um, I mean, thanks? I think?"

Ignis has that enigmatic little smile on his face again, and Prompto can't quite tell if he's been joking or not this whole time. He puffs out his cheeks, pouting. Here he'd been, thinking they both knew equally little about each other. So much for that. Still, he can't be too upset about it; Ignis did come all the way out here, first thing in the morning, in the pouring rain, at his prince's bidding, to pick him up. Which leads him to another question.

"Do you like it? Doing all that stuff, I mean?"

"It's my royal duty," Ignis answers readily.

Prompto frowns.

"That's not the same as liking it."

Prompto watches Ignis in profile; sees him blink as though the thought's never occurred to him that the two things could be separate.

Finally, Ignis responds, his tone reserved, almost cautious.

"I enjoy seeing Noctis happy."

Prompto can relate to that.

Before he can comment further, though, the car rolls to a stop, and Prompto realizes they've arrived. Ignis is out of the car before he can react, and the door is opened for him a moment later. Prompto mutters a flustered, "Thanks," as Ignis waits for him to put up his own umbrella. Then Ignis holds out a familiar-looking satchel. Prompto shakes his head vigorously.

"No way, I couldn't possibly--"

"Please do," Ignis says. "It will only go to waste if you don't. I prepared it for Noct before he told me he wasn't feeling up to attending school today, and I'm told you've appreciated my efforts in the past…"

Prompto reluctantly accepts the offering with an embarrassed smile.

"Not gonna lie, I do snitch from him pretty much all the time. Your food's always way better than anything I can think to throw together in the morning."

Ignis reaches up and adjusts his glasses, but not quickly enough - Prompto sees the flash of pride in the eyes behind them.

"You're too kind," Ignis says diplomatically. "Nevertheless, I do hope you enjoy today's special."

"I'm sure I will."

The first bell rings, and Prompto gives him a sheepish grin.

"That's my cue."

Ignis nods.

"I'll return this afternoon," he says. Then, before Prompto can protest he adds, "If you'd be so kind as to collect Noct's homework assignments…?"

"Oh, sure, most def," Prompto agrees. "Remind me to give you the empty lunchbox back, too?"

"Of course."

"Thanks. See you later, then, Ignis!" Prompto says. He does his best to wave goodbye, bogged down as he is with things to carry.

Ignis raises a hand in farewell and retreats back into the car.

Prompto decides that being nosy can have its perks after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look, a second chapter nobody asked for! XD I have about a billion other WIPs, but this hit me upside the head tonight and I wrote it from start to finish over the course of several hours. I have no idea if this fic is now done or not. I'm not usually much for chapter fics, but this fandom's got me doing all kinds of weird stuff, so who knows? For now I'm marking it completed, though.


End file.
